Riley wasn’t willing to give up the farm for Dame because it didn’t make us sure-fire contenders and would cripple our future. Remember, he has to balance winning now with winning in the future too.

So many wanted him to cave and just give Portland whatever just to make a move.

Now we are looking decent with room to improve at the deadline:

  • Lowry’s fat expiring that’ll have the final year half paid by that point
  • Duncan Robinson who’s contract may no longer be seen as a negative
  • An improved Hero who will fetch more now

Riley isn’t perfect but he’s damn good.

  • Adraf45BEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Don’t worry, the “better without herro” crowd is hiding for right now, in the main sub but they’ll wait to post here

  • hdlothia22BEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I want to see us beat a top team before i’m convinced we didn’t need Dame. Regardless, pat riley knows what he is doing.

    • ikissedyadadBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      We almost have The gap between us and boston wasn’t that bad We did lose that game, boston didn’t win it. We gave it to them after being up like 90-89…but that was on Boston’s home court. Plus, their season home opener. They needed everything their all-star 5 could provide plus us letting go of the rope plus derrick White having a near career night for them to win.

      Our game v the bucks We made 3 less fg and 3 less fts (attempted 10 less fts) 3 shots and ref decisions separated us from a win.

      • hdlothia22BEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        you sound like celtics fans who want credit for almost coming back against us in the ecf. This team has shown me they can be competitive against the best, I need to see them pull it over the finish line, especially in crunch time.

        Small margins are important when playing the best and i’m concerned our guard depth might be enough of a weakness to cost us against top teams.

  • KayRay1994BEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I think nearly everyone was against giving the whole bench and all our picks for Dame - that being said, I still think Herro, Lowry or Duncan, Jamie or Jovic and 3 picks is more than reasonable for both sides. We still maintain most of our depth, lots of our youth and sure, we lose the picks, but we were never the type to commit to the draft anyway.

    That being said, Portland are looking like the losers here seeing how Ayton is a no-show and Scoot is struggling big time to start

  • FlyLikeATachyonBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    If decades of sustained success hasn’t convinced people, I don’t think 7 games will.

  • jcwritBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I don’t think Riley gives a damn about the future. The man wants to win another championship and if he has to give up every pick till 2028 its not going to stop him.

    My best guess is that they figured out pretty early on that Jaquez had a chance to be a really good player and he was taken off the table, along with Bam and Jimmy. The Blazers found a better deal. Whether we like it or not Jrue was worth more than Tyler and Ayton had more appeal than someone like Jovic.